Hungry for life with an appetite for good food.

Category Archives: Foodtastic Finds

If you love cookie dough as much as I do, you might know about a special dessert shop that opened a few months ago called DŌ NYC, where you can purchase safe-to-eat cookie dough. This is not a drill. Continue reading →

Smorgasburg is the largest weekly open-air food market in the country with locations in Williamsburg and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It opened in 2011 and there are more than 100 local vendors each weekend. It’s definitely worth visiting if you have never been, however it can be overwhelming if you do not navigate it properly. I have been many times over the past couple of years and have learned a few lessons. Personally, I prefer the Williamsburg location because it’s more convenient from where I live, and other reasons that I will get into. Here are my tips: Continue reading →

Last weekend, I went to Chinatown and was on the hunt for something a little birdie on the Internet told me about: iced rainbow lattes.

The unicorn trend is all the rage right now, and quite frankly, I’m over it. So I was intrigued to try this colorful latte at an Australian-Chinese café on Doyers Street called The Good Sort.

As you can tell by my photo, this latte is the perfect, colorful pick-me-up on especially gloomy spring days (it happened to be raining when I went). And another added bonus? It’s actually healthy for you.

Each layer of the latte is a different ingredient, but all together it packs beetroot, blue algae, turmeric, coconut sugar, vanilla bean, black pepper, cayenne pepper, agave, and three different types of milks: almond, coconut, and oat. It’s no wonder that it costs $8.

Also, each layer tasted different. I could definitely taste the spices once I got to the yellow turmeric layer, and that kept the whole drink interesting.

In comparison to Starbucks’ short-time stint of the Unicorn Frappuccino (which I shamelessly tried), this is 100% tastier (and better for you). I liked the Unicorn Frappuccino, but it did just taste like I was drinking all of the sugar—and blue sour powder. What even is that?

Beyond the rainbow latte, The Good Sort offers homemade sweet and savory congee, gluten-free and vegan bakery items, and other superfood lattes, such as sesame and activated charcoal, and blue algae. The interior is also adorable with millennial pink walls, a collection of records, and flower decor.

Overall, my verdict is that an $8 latte is worth it only if you want it to be. In my opinion, it’s all to do it for the ‘Gram. The photos you’ll end up taking of the rainbow iced latte or anything you order will be 👌

Now that I’m living in New York, I have been on a mission to find the best bagel. I’ve been wanting to do an experiment (which I might still carry on with in the near future) where I test all of my neighborhood’s bagels to see which is the best. But, ever since I have discovered this particular bagel place, that experiment has been on hold because it’s fair to say that my allegiance lies here.

When Buzzfeed posted their taste test of NYC bagels and BK Bagel won by a landslide, I knew I had to weigh in with my thoughts. Though commenters said that other bagel shops were snubbed, I agree with Buzzfeed that BK Bagel is the best.

Side note: I’ve always wondered why it’s called Brooklyn Bagel when they only have locations in Chelsea and Astoria. If anyone has the answer to this question, please let me know!

What has kept me coming back for more time and time again are their spelt bagels. Spelt is a whole grain from the wheat family. It is better for you than wheat because it requires less fertilizer and has high protein and fiber content. Bagels aren’t the healthiest things to eat, but if it has spelt that makes it okay, right? Right.

Not only do they offer spelt bagels, their cream cheese selection is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The heaping piles of cream cheese remind me of the grandeur of gelaterias in Italy. BK Bagel has the coolest flavors like diavolo chipotle, pimento olive, pumpkin during the fall/winter, and my favorite: bacon scallion. They also have tofu-based spreads for a healthier option, along with a flavor of the week. I tried this week’s FOW today: fluffer nutter. It was incredible! It was the beautiful marriage of peanut butter and cream cheese, which could’ve passed for a light cupcake frosting. And of course I had it on the plain spelt bagel.

Tip: If you want a bold cream cheese, pair it with a plain/low-key flavored bagel, and vice versa. I ordered the whole wheat everything bagel with the bacon scallion cream cheese and my mouth was overwhelmed with all of the flavors.

I’ve also been head over heels for BK Bagel because for the summer, they offer $1 iced coffee in any size on Tuesdays. They brew Toby’s Estate coffee (which is an excellent blend). How could you pass up an offer like that?

Side note: Ever since I’ve been getting really good coffee from BK Bagel and other shops, I understand why New Yorkers dislike Starbucks. They say it tastes burnt, and now I can distinguish the differences in flavor. Local coffee shops have been far more appealing than Starbucks. Sorry, green mermaid.

Blueberry bagel with cream cheese from New York City Bagel & Coffee House

One thing that I wish BK Bagel had more of, however, are sweet bagels. New York City Bagel & Coffee House is my runner-up for best bagel in my neighborhood and they do a great blueberry bagel. It’s actually purple and tastes like blueberry juice. While BK Bagel has blueberry cream cheese, NYCBCH offers the same schmear AND you could get it on the blueberry bagel for double the flavor.

It’s almost like a curse to be spoiled with New York bagels because once you have them, the others from chains like Lenny’s or grocery store bagels taste terrible. New York bagels have the right about of crunch on the outside and are chewy and dense on the inside. I’ve read somewhere that the proper way to eat a bagel here is to have it untoasted, and it brings out the full flavor of the bagel. That’s how you know you have a good bagel.

They say that New York bagels taste better because “there’s something in the water.” BK Bagel hand-rolls and kettle boils their bagels, and I say the only way to test this theory is to try one out for yourself.

I had the privilege to visit Philadelphia this week to see a friend, and the first thing I knew I had to do was get a Philly cheesesteak.

“The Works” from Campo’s Deli

Growing up, Philly cheesesteaks were kind of a big deal in my house, even though my parents are not even from Philadelphia. It’s just one of those sandwiches that majority of people seem to love. And what’s not to love about it? It’s thinly-sliced, tender beef doused in grilled onions, pepper, mushrooms (if desired), and smothered in cheese. The thought of it makes my mouth water!

So my friend and I had one question: where is the best place to get a Philly cheesesteak? It seems that each street boasted the best namesake hoagie in the city. Even food carts had their fair share of bragging rights. We turned to our trusty Yelp app to help us find a place.

Initially, we were going to go to a different place a few doors down but off the bat I didn’t have a good feeling about it. It definitely felt like a “hipster” place with stark white walls and black letters to contrast. The line was long, so I suggested we go to a place that looked like more of a mom-and-pop, diner place called Campo’s Deli in Old City.

We knew it was going to be good because the line stretched out towards the door. I paid no attention to the other menu items because I went straight for the cheesesteaks. Something that struck me was how many ways you can have this hoagie prepared. Some of the sandwiches are topped with broccoli rabe, cream cheese, or pizza toppings. Definitely not what I expected because when my mom would create Philly cheesesteaks at home, she insisted that they only be topped with caramelized onions and peppers and Cheez Whiz. Naturally, I ordered “The Works,” which includes those toppings, mushrooms, and choice of Cheez Whiz, provolone or American cheese.

The reason why I did not make this into a restaurant review was because this was my very first authentic Philly cheesesteak. And it was nothing short of amazing. What stood out most was how soft the bread was! It was not a tough as a grocery-bought hero/hoagie/sub. This melted the way a piece of freshly baked bread does in your mouth. Then mixed with the meat and toppings, it all blended so perfectly. Bread is such a key component to any sandwich because it holds everything together. Soft bread made this hoagie so much more enjoyable than other heros/hoagies I’ve had in the past. I also ordered my sandwich with provolone, which gave it a nice creaminess.

As I did my research afterwards, I learned that Campo’s was featured on Food Network, AOL City Guides, and all of these other awards. Like I said before, this may have been my first authentic Philly cheesesteak, but I can definitely see what all of the hype is about with this particular hoagie. Especially because of the bread. I can’t stop stressing how great it was! I highly recommend this place. And if you’re not based in Philly, take advantage of their shipping menu. The next time I’m in Philly, I want to try a different place just to compare. But this was a great starting point and set my Philly cheesesteak bar pretty high.

Earlier in June, I had the pleasure of going on the Chocolate Tour of New York, hosted by Great New York Tours. I first discovered this deal on Groupon and couldn’t pass it up. It’s $25 for one ticket and $45 for two, as opposed to $50 for one ticket through the Great New York Tours website. If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy learning a little about New York City history, this tour is for you.

The tour is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a two-hour walking tour to eight locations to sample chocolate varieties, and it’s not just truffles or chocolate bars. We were given cookies, cupcakes, macarons, etc. I can guarantee that you will leave the tour satisfied and in a sugar coma. Make sure to bring lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. Also, I justified it as we are walking off what we try along the way, so that makes it okay, right?

Our tour first met in front of Chelsea Market, one of my favorite food meccas in New York City. This place has everything: an Italian grocery store, restaurants galore, and even Food Network, Cooking Channel, and Food.com offices. We then began our journey, starting in the West Village and ending in SoHo.

Chocolate heels fit for a princess at Li-Lac Chocolates.

Li-Lac Chocolates: This is the oldest chocolate shop in Manhattan. We were given the maple walnut cream fudge to try, which was amazing. And ironically, it wasn’t chocolate. What stood out most were the novelty chocolate items. It’s amazing to how chocolate can be sculpted to be anything you want it to be. There was an Empire State Building, cats, and even a life-sized handbag. It’s a great place to buy gifts, just make sure it doesn’t melt by picking up one of their cooler bags for $2.99!

Sign in front of Chocolate Bar.

Chocolate Bar: This was probably my favorite place on the tour because although it boasts chocolate, they have a great coffee area. In addition, they have liquid chocolate, which is like a cold hot chocolate. My biggest regret was not trying out a mocha here or picking up a molé chocolate bar because I love coffee and spicy chocolate but didn’t want to be full so early on. But, I guess this just gives me a reason to come back.

Magnolia Bakery: Now I’m no stranger to Magnolia, as they were made famous by Sex and the City, but this was my first time at their flagship. In the past, I was not a huge fan of their cupcakes because their frosting is too buttery for my taste. But, the chocolate cupcake was amazing. We were each given our own mini cupcake. I definitely recommend those rather than something like their pistachio flavored cupcake.

Milk and Cookies Bakery: This was an adorable cookie shop. First off, there aren’t many shops dedicated solely to cookies. We tried the double chocolate cookie, which was the most chocolatey item on the tour. I also bought a s’mores cookie, which was pretty good. I kept hearing about a Bacon Smack cookie that I think is worth trying if you can get your hands on it. It’s has maple syrup, candied Neuskes cherry wood smoked bacon, dried cranberries, 72% dark chocolate chunks, toffee, and graham cracker pieces. Very cozy bakery and all of the cookies are made fresh.

Bisous Ciao Macarons: Macarons are one of my weaknesses. Not only are they adorable, when you eat one it’s like biting into a cloud with a dense, chewy center. Naturally, we tried chocolate macarons. What stood out to me here was the colorful selection! They had raspberry with a raspberry filling, lavender honey, rose, and black sesame. They also have delivery options to ship around the contingent 48 states, which is nice.

Pasticceria Bruno Bakery: This was a cute, Italian family-owned bakery that reminded me of a place that could have made an appearance in an episode of The Sopranos. We tried cannolis, which were better than the ones I had at a place in Little Italy that claimed to have the best in the world. Something that caught my eye was a pastry called the Daffle, a waffle-doughnut hybrid. At this point, my tolerance for sweets was dwindling, so I did not try it. But it definitely grabbed my attention with flavors like red velvet, Nutella, and maple syrup.

xocolatti: This was the most modern chocolate boutique of the tour with interesting chocolate combos like the olive oil basil truffle and sake truffle topped with a blue tint. We tried the mango paprika slate, which was a white chocolate bark with dried orange and mango bits and paprika. Honestly, this was my least favorite. I liked the spiciness, but the mango with white chocolate threw me off because it was so sweet.

Vosges Haut Chocolat: I looked forward to this place the most. Back in February, I bought my boyfriend their Mo’s Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar, which is TO DIE FOR. Bacon and chocolate together are a heavenly pair. I highly recommend trying it because it is life-changing. We tried a sea salt chocolate, which was good, but definitely nothing like the bacon chocolate. Because this was my first time at their brick and mortar, I used a Foursquare special to get a free truffle. I was in the mood for spicy chocolate all day, so I opted for the Red Fire truffle with ancho chiles, cinnamon, cacao, and Venezuelan dark chocolate. It had a nice kick, but it definitely does not top the bacon chocolate bar. I’m not sure anything does.

I would most definitely do another Great New York Tour. Our tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. He also kept us engaged and pointed out pieces of history along the way, like Chumley’s, a legendary speakeasy, and the timeline of the Meatpacking District. Get a group of your friends together to join, it’s the perfect girls day out activity. Happy sampling!

I noticed this little tidbit on the jar and decided to try some combinations on waffles and bread (two of my dorm room staples). Here are my reactions:

First impressions: it looks exactly like peanut butter. But it has a very distinct smell of spices such as gingerbread and cinnamon. Later on I figured out that it reminded me of the Biscoff cookies that were given on airplanes. It definitely has a peanut butter quality in that it is more of a nutty and smooth flavor. It’s not necessarily sweet.

First impressions of the waffles with cookie butter alone: it tasted bland. Like if you were to spread peanut butter on waffles. If you like that taste, definitely do this. If you need something sweet, this next combination is surely for you.

ADD NUTELLA TO THE COOKIE BUTTER. Nutella just automatically makes everything taste better, in my opinion. This combination is simply amazing! You can definitely pick up the cookie/biscuit flavors (mainly like gingerbread and nutmeg). When this mixes with the hazelnut and cocoa from the Nutella, it’s just heaven.

After my taste buds did their happy dance, I experimented with bread.

On the left is peanut butter with cookie butter, on the right is Nutella with cookie butter.

The jar said to try peanut butter cookie sandwiches, and it just didn’t cut it for me. I felt like I was layering two different varieties of peanut butter. I’m not one to eat peanut butter on toast with nothing else. If you have a knack for that, try this combination because it adds an unexpected hint of spice.

The side with Nutella, however, was brilliant. I have had one too many peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches in my college career, so substituting peanut butter with cookie butter definitely made my taste buds sing. Again, the mix of the gingerbread-biscuit flavors with hazelnut is excellent.

Verdict: Cookie butter serves as a great replacement for peanut butter if you are willing to try something new. Add cookie butter to what you would usually put peanut butter on. And adding Nutella is an extra bonus. Definitely a great buy for autumn and the upcoming holiday season!

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UPDATE:The jar says cookie butter is 57% “Speculoos.” After some research, I learned that Speculoos is a type of biscuit from the Netherlands/Belgium. The jar also notes that it is a “Product of The Netherlands.” According to this website, “the name of the cookie comes from the Latin derivite ‘species’, which means ‘spices’.” They look almost identical to the Biscoff cookies, and I would not be surprised if they both originate from the same cookie family. Incredible!